Storage units



Oct 24, 1961 M. DABICH 3,005,536

STORAGE UNITS Filed Sept. 2, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 2924 INVENTOR. Mz c20 eZ Mi 6% M. DABICH STORAGE UNITS Oct. 24, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledSept. 2, 1958 INVENTOR. #ZbldeZDaZicZ M. DABICH STORAGE UNITS Oct. 24,1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 2, 1958 INVENTOR. Mi ae 2241M a r/7e)BY j4 M. DABICH STORAGE UNITS Oct. 24, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept.2, 1958 INVENTOR. MzcZaeZZQaZz'cZ United States Patent 3,005,536 STORAGEUNITS Michael Dabich, St. Clair Shores, Mich, assignor to F. Jos. LambCompany, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Sept. 2, 1958,Ser. No. 758,528 4 Claims. (Cl. 198-45) This invention relates toimprovements in storage units and particularly to units having aplurality of horizontal and substantially spiral passages thereon, andmeans for engaging the upper surfaces of workpieces in the passages andpropelling them there'along.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a storage unitwherein the passages are arranged one above the other, and chutes areprovided for the flow of workpieces from one passage to the one nextbeneath it so that a vast number of workpieces may be compactly storedtherein.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide such a storage unitwherein a plurality of flexible wipers are mounted for movement aboveand along each horizontal passage to engage the upper faces ofworkpieces in the passages and propel them therealong.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a storage unitwhich may either rest upon the floor, or be suspended at such a heightabove the latter that the space beneath may be utilized for otherpurposes; and wherein the unit may be either substantially circular orelongated in horizontal section.

Having thus briefly and broadly stated some of the objects andadvantages of the invention I will now describe two preferredembodiments thereof with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view showing one form of the invention, and FIGURE 2is a side view thereof, partly in section.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURES 4 and 5 are enlarged sections on the lines 44, and 5-5,respectively, of FIGURE 1.

FIGURES 6 and 7 are sections on the lines 6-6 and 7-7, respectively, ofFIGURE 2.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged section on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 5.

.FIGURE 9 is an enlarged section on the line 9-9 of FIGURE 6. FIGURE 10is an enlarged section on the line 10-10 of FIGURE 9.

FIGURES l1 and 12 are sections on the lines '11-11 and 12-12,respectively of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 13 is a plan view showing a modified form of the invention, and

FIGURES 14, 15, 16 and 17 are sections on the lines 14-14, 15-15, 16-16,and 17-17, respectively, of FIGURE '13.

FIGURE 18 is an enlarged section on the line 18-18 of FIGURE 14. 2'

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURES 1 to 12,inclusive, 1 designates a frame which in the present instance isrectangular and includes vertical corner posts 2 each of which ismounted at its lower extremity upon a base 3 adapted to be secured to afloor. The posts 2 are held in spaced relation by braces 4 arranged inhorizontal sets each extending around the frame at a differentelevation. Welded or otherwise secured at its opposite extremities toone pair of the bottom braces 4 is a plate 5 having a suitable support 6secured thereon upon which a motor 7 is mounted as shown in FIGURES 2and-7. Extending also between and secured to the same two braces 4 ofthe bottom set, and preferably parallel with the'pla-te '5, is anotherplate 8 having a speed reducer 9 secured thereon.

3,005,536 Patented Oct. 24, 1961 The latter is driven by the motor 7through a belt 10 and projecting from the speed reducer is a drivenshaft 11 to which an extension shaft 12 is secured for rotationtherewith as by a suitable connection 13. Extending between and securedat opposite extremities to two opposed braces 4 of the set immediatelyabout the one which supports the plates 5 and 8, and in the presentinstance arranged at right angles to them, is a base plate 14 on which alower bearing 15 ismounted to support the lower extremity of the shaftextension 12 for rotation.

Mounted on the frame 1, usually in the manner hereinafter described, area plurality of vertically spaced storage trays 16, the lowest of whichis positioned above the bearing 15. Secured also to the shaft extension12,-for rotation therewith above each tray is a feeding mechanism 17adapted to advance workpieces A upon the tray. Since all the trays 16and all the feed mechanisms 17 are the same, I will now describe one ofeach of them. Each tray includes a central ring 18 spaced coaxiallyaround the shaft extension 12 and having a plurality of radial arms 19extending therefrom. The outer extremity of each arm is secured to theadjacent extremities of two braces 4 so that the ring is held coaxialwith the shaft extension. Formed across the upper portion of each arm 19are a plurality of a-rcuate slots 20 which are substantially uniformlyspaced from one another. 21 denotes a substantially spirally woundresilient ribbon, made of spring steel or other suitable material. Thelower extremity of the ribbon is supported in the slots so that'asubstantially spiral passage 22 is defined between each adjacent pair ofturns of the ribbons throughout the length of the latter and above thesaid arms. Suitably secured between each adjacent pair of turns of theribbon throughout the length of the passage is a support 23 which in thepresent case is welded or'otherwise secured both to the upper margins ofthe arms 19 and longitudinally to the inner face of the ribbon 21. Thearrangement of the support 23, shown is preferable in this case becauseit is desirable that the workpieces be supported immediately beneaththeir portions of greatest diameter.

Secured to the shaft extension 12 for rotation therewith above the uppermargin of the ribbon 21'is a spider 24 having a plurality of uniformlyspaced radial carriers 25 projecting therefrom. Secured to each carrieras by U-clamps 26 is the upwardly flexed front extremityof a wiper 27which is made of sheet leather, rubber, resilient plastic or othersuitable material. The trailing portion of each wiper is adapted to bearupon and impart movement to workpieces on the passage 22 immediatelybeneath them and cause them to travel gradually along that passage fromone extremity to the other. ,Each wiper is substantially segmental andextends across the upper face'of all the turns of the ribbon 21immediately beneath it. I find that the wipers 27 lie flatter upon thetops of the workpieces and more readily move them around the passage 22if they are scalloped at intervals across their front margins as shownat 28. For the same reason it is usually desirable to perforate the rearportions of the wipers as shown at 29. The height of the ribbons 21 issuch that the workpieces project a suflicient distance above them fortheir upper faces to be engaged by the wipers. Supported on the ring 18from which the top set of radial arms 19 project is a' plate 35 whichsupports a bearing 15a'by which the upper extremity of the shaft"extension is rotatably supported. Welded or otherwise suitably securedto one of the arms 19 extending fromthe top ring 18 are the outerextremities of opposite sides of a gravity chute 30. The sides of thechute are thus held inalignment with opposite sides of the outerextremity of the passage 22 formed between the outer end of thetopresilient ribbon 21 and the turn'thereofadjacent thereto. Thusprovision is made for the free travel of workpieces from the chute 30into the top spiral passage.

A suitable support 34 is in the present instance secured along the innerface of one. side of the chute 30 in alignment with and to form acontinuation of'the support 23 in the passage 22; Other gravity chutesas shown at 30a, also having longitudinal supports 34a thereon, similarto the support 34 connect the inner extremity of each substantiallyspiral passage 22 with the outer extremity of the pasage '22 nextbeneath it, thereby providing means for the gradual movement ofworkpieces from the outer extremity of the top passage 22 to the innerextremity of the bottom one whence the workpieces are adapted to bedischarged as through a delivery chute 30b.

As shown in FIGURES 9 and 10, at the inner extremity of each passage 22a stop 36 is provided to halt movement of the workpieces. The support 23terminates in front of the stop so that approaching workpieces may fallthrough an opening 37 thus provided and drop into the upturned extremityof one of the chutes 30a or 3022 beneath. Each chute 30a is supportedfrom the frame l by suitable brackets 38, 39 and 40, which are alsowelded or otherwise connected to one another.

Mounted on one of the trays 16 is a delayed action switch 41 having apivoted actuating arm 42 which is adapted to be tripped by workpieceshalted thereagainst. The switch may be included in a circuit to providean audible or visual signal so that the flow of workpieces onto thestorage unit may be manually interrupted; or in a circuit includingelectrically operated means, such as a solenoid-operated stop 43 forinterrupting the flow of workpieces onto the unit.

Welded or otherwise secured to the radial arm 19 adjacent the outerextremity of the top passage 22 is one extremity of a bracket 32 whichis supported by a plate 32a to which it is suitably secured. The chute30 is also supported by the plate 32a to which it is attached as bybolts 31. Rotatably mounted on the, outer extremity of the bracket 32 isa roller 33 which projects somewhat above the normal level of the rearportions of the wipers 27, so that as the latter are turned, about the.axis of the top spider 24 they are raised sutficiently by the roller toprevent them causing displacement of workpieces A approaching orentering the outer extremity of the top passage 22. Other rollers (notshown) are similarly mounted adjacent the lower extremities of theintermediate chutes 30a to raise the lower wipers in the manner abovedescribed and prevent them displacing other workpieces about to enterthe lower passages.

Obviously the dimensions of the storage unit are limited by the spaceavailable for it in the building in which it is to be housed. Moreoverthe apparent maximum height available for the unit must he often reducedbecause none of the floor space may be occupied thereby and sufficienthead room must be provided beneath it to permit the performance of theother tasks thereunder. In order then to provide a storage unit by whichthe available space may be fully utilized it is sometimes necessary tomake the unit substantially rectangular and of materially greater lengththan width, and further to provide only a few vertically spaced passagestherein in order to reduce the height. With the aid of FIGURES 13 to 18,inclusive, I will now describe such a modified form of 4 l by posts 2'.Secured also to the frame adjacent one extremity are a motor 7' and aspeed reducer 9 having pulleys 7a and 9a respectively thereon aroundwhich a belt 10' extends. A vertical drive shaft 11a projects from thespeed reducer and is connected by a suitable coupling 13 to a shaftextension 12', and the latter is supported for rotation in verticalbearings 15 secured to the frame. Mounted in vertically aligned bearings58 secured to the frame adjacent its opposite extremity are upper andlower tail shafts 57 parallel with the shaft extension 12. Mounted forrotation with the shaft extension and secured thereon are verticallyspaced sprockets 59 each of which is in horizontal alignment with asprocket secured on one of the tail shafts 57, and extending around eachaligned pair of sprockets 59 and 60 is an endless chain 61.

Suitably mounted on each annular set of braces 4 is a storage tray 16including a plurality of arms 19' some of which extend radially relativeto the axes of the shafts 12 and 57. The upper sides of the arms on eachtray are transversely slotted at 20' to receive and support the lowermargin of a substantially spirally wound resilient ribbon 21'. Eachribbon is so wound that a continuous passage 22' is formed betweenadjacent pairs of turns of the ribbon. Formed also across the arms 19between each adjacent pair of slots 20' are other slots 20b to receiveand engage the underside of a lon gitudinal support 23' which in thiscase extends centrally between adjacent turns of the ribbon, therebyproviding means for supporting workpieces as they travel throughout thelength of the passage. It is however understood that the shape andlocation of the support between opposite sides of the passage isdependent upon the shape of the workpieces to be supported.

Extending upwardly from each storage tray 16' cantrally of its width andtowards opposite extremities thereof are uprights 56 which carry alongitudinal supporting member 54. Each member extends throughoutsubstantially the entire length of its tray, and projecting laterallyfrom opposite sides of each member 54 are transverse members 55.Supported by the members 54 and 55 substantially centrally over eachside of the passage 22 beneath it is an annular track 53 having itsunderside slotted centrally of its width for the entry from beneath ofhangers 63 having rollers 62 mounted on opposite sides of their upperextremities. These rollers are adapted to travel along opposed flanges531: formed in the said 'track on opposite sides of its annular slot.Each chain 61 travels in horizontal alignment with part of some of thehangers 63, and secured to each of the latter is a bracket 63a which isalso secured to the chain in alignment with it. Dependingly mounted uponthe lower extremity of each'hanger 63 and pivotally secured thereto asby a vertical screw 25a is a carrier 25 which extends across one side ofthe substantially helical passage 22' beneath it. The front upwardlyflexed extremity of a wiper 27 is secured between each carrier 25' and aclamp 26 secured thereon, and the trailing portion of the inventionhaving only two vertically spaced, horizontal, and substantiallycontinuous passages therein.

Projecting outwardly from and preferably integral with the frame -1' area plurality of lugs 50 to each of which the lower bolt of a turnbuckle51 is secured; and engagement with the upper extremity of'the turnbuckleis a hanger 52, one of which is shown. The hangers may be dependinglysupported in any preferred mannor-not shown. The turnbuckles providesimple means for adjusting the height of and levelling the unit.

Secured on the frame are separate sets of annularly arrangedbraoes 4,held in vertically spaced relation as each wiper bears downwardly uponworkpieces in the passage 22 beneath and causes them to traveltherealong. Due to the pivotal mounting of each carrier 25' theyandtheir wipers 27 remain substantially at right angles to thelongitudinal axis of the passage beneath as they travel around theirannular path. The wipers 27' are exactly similar to the wipers 27 andare preferably scalloped at 28 across their front margins. Openings 29are also usually formed through the rear portions of the wipers. V 7

In the arrangement shown in FIGURES l to 12, the passages 22 aresubstantially circular, whereas inFIG- URES 13 to 18 the passages 22 areelongated or oval, but in both cases each carrier 25, or 25', extendssubstantially segmentally across all the turns of the ribbon along whichit travels to advance the workpieces along the passage.

A gravity chute 70, similar to the chute 30a, and having a central andlongitudinal support 70' therein, connects the inner or dischargeextremity of the upper passage 22' with the outer or inlet extremity ofthe passage beneath. A roller 33, FIGURE 17, similar to the roller 33shown in FIGURES 1 and 5, is mounted adjacent the lower extremity of thechute 70 to flex approaching wipers 27 upwardly so that workpiecestravelling down the chute will not come into contact with and bedisplaced by them. For the same reason such a roller may also beinstalled adjacent the inner extremity of a chute 30' along whichworkpieces travel to the outer extremity of the top passage 22, in themanner shown in FIGURES 1 and 5.

The outer extremity of the top ribbon 21 and the portion of the adjacentturn of that ribbon opposite the aforesaid extremity, are secured to theinner ends of chute 30' along which workpieces are delivered onto thetop ribbon 21'. Extending longitudinally between opposite sides of thechute 30' is a support 230 along which workpieces are adapted to travel.The inner extremity of the support 230 is secured to the outer extremityof the support 23', and 71 and 72 denote plates by which the chute 30and the ribbon 21 and the supports 23c and 23' are secured to oneanother.

Moreover while the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1 rests upon the groundand that shown in FIGURES 13 to 18 is suspended, it is of courseunderstood that either method may be employed for supporting either formof storage unit.

'While in the foregoing the preferred embodiments of the invention havebeen described and shown, it is understood that further alterations andmodifications may be made thereto provided the said alterations andmodifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A storage unit including a supporting frame, substantially spirallywound ribbons secured on the frame in vertically spaced relation, theadjacent pairs of turns of each ribbon being spaced from one another toform a continuous and substantially spiral passage of substantiallyconstant width between them, means supported between each adjacent pairof turns of each ribbon for supporting workpieces in the passage formedbetween them, carriers each mounted for movement around a relativelywide annular path extending across and above portions of all the turnson one side of one of the substantially spirally wound ribbons, aflexible wiper dependingly secured to each carrier adapted to travelacross the upper faces of workpieces in the passage beneath it andadvance workpieces therealong, means for moving all the carriers aroundtheir annular path, and a chute extending betwen the inner extremity ofthe top spirally wound ribbon and the outer extremity of the spirallywound ribbon beneath it downwardly through which workpieces are adaptedto travel, and a roller mounted across the path of movement of thewipers traveling adjacent the junction of the lower extremity of thechute with the outer extremity of the lower ribbon to raise the saidwipers and permit unobstructed passage of the workpieces therebeneath.

2. A storage unit including a frame, a substantially spirally woundribbon secured thereon, adjacent pairs of turns of the ribbon beingspaced from one another to form a continuous and substantially spiralpassage between them, means mounted between adjacent pairs of turns ofthe ribbon for supporting workpieces for movement along said passage, avertical shaft mounted for rotation on the frame adjacent one extremity,a sprocket secured thereon, another sprocket rotatably supported on theflame adjacent the opposite extremity thereof and in horizontalalignment with the first named sprocket, an endless chain extendingaround both sprockets, an annular track supported on the frame above thespirally wound ribbon, hangers dependingly mounted on the track formovement therearound, the annular paths of the chain and the hangersbeing continguous to one another throughout their travel, bracketssecuring the hangers to the chain whereby movement of the chain impartsmovement to the hangers, carriers on the hangers, and flexible wipersdependingly mounted on the carriers and extending across and aboveportions of all the turns of the spiral ribbon, said wipers beingadapted to sweep the workpieces along the passage, the wipers beingpivotally mounted on the hangers whereby they align themselvestransversely of the spirally wound ribbon as they travel thereover inengagement with the workpieces.

3. A storage unit including a frame, a plurality of substantiallyspirally wound ribbons secured thereon in vertically spaced relation,adjacent pairs of turns of each ribbon being horizontally spaced fromone another to form a continuous and substantially spiral passage between them, means mounted between adjacent turns of each ribbon forsupporting workpieces for travel between them, a vertical shaft mountedfor rotation on and adjacent one extremity of the frame, spacedsprockets secured on the shaft, other sprockets rotatably supported onthe frame adjacent the opposite extremity thereof, each of said othersprockets being in horizontal alignment with one of the first namedsprockets, an endless chain extending around each horizontally alignedpair or" sprockets, an annular track mounted on the frame and spacedabove each spirally wound ribbon, hangers supported on the track formovement therearound, brackets securing all the hangers on each track toone of the chains, a carrier supported by each hanger and extendingabove and across portions of all the turns of the sub stantiallyspirally wound ribbon beneath it, a flexible wiper depending from eachcarrier adapted to engage the workpieces in the passage beneath it andsweep them along the passage, and a chute connecting the upper passagewith the passage beneath it, the carriers being pivotally mounted on thehangers about vertical axes.

4. A storage unit including a supporting frame, a substantially spirallywound ribbon secured thereon, the adjacent pairs of turns of the ribbonbeing spaced from one another to form a continuous and substantiallyspiral passage of substantially constant width between them, meansmounted between the adjacent pairs of turns for supporting workpiecesfor movement along the passage, carriers each mounted for movementaround a relatively wide annular path extending across and aboveportions of all the turns on one side of the ribbon, a flexible wiperdependingly secured to each carrier to engage the upper faces of theworkpieces in said passage whereby said workpieces are advancedtherealong, and means for mov ing all the carriers along their annularpath, a chute terminating adjacent one extremity of the passage and sosupported relative thereto that said passage forms a continuation of thechute, and a roller mounted across the path of movement of the wipersadjacent the junction of the chute with said passage to raise saidwipers and permit unobstructed movement of the workpieces therebeneath.

Referenees Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS992,407 Dewey May 16, 1911 1,549,877 Hurst et al. Aug. 18, 19251,578,640 Bunn et al. Mar. 30, 1926 2,672,230 Jetzke Mar. 16, 19542,873,019 Kay Feb. 10, 1959 2,873,020 Kay Feb. 10, 1959 OTHER REFERENCESMachinery Magazine, October 1957, page 205 relied on.

